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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24950050">Tear Down My Defenses</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby'>tabbytabbytabby</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Teen Wolf (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Confessions, Derek Hale is a Softie, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Future Fic, Getting Together, Hale Family Feels, Leather Jackets, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:54:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,272</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24950050</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek panics when he loses his leather jacket.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>333</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Tear Down My Defenses</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I started re-watching Teen Wolf from the beginning yesterday and it gave me a lot of feelings about Derek and his leather jacket. So here we are. </p><p>Title comes from <a href="https://youtu.be/8FDUGLGfpWM">Would You Come Home</a> performed by Tyler Blackburn</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Derek is five years old the first time he really notices the jacket. His dad is wearing it before a night out with his mom and he scoops him up into his arms. Derek laughs and wraps his small arms around his neck as he tucks his face in close and breathes in deep, taking in the scent of pine and fresh, crisp leather. </p><p>They become his favorite smells. And the jacket something he aspires to. One day he'll be cool enough to wear it. </p><p>At fifteen he doesn't think he's there yet, but it rests on his shoulders all the same, too big on his small frame. </p><p>It becomes his armor, in a way. It protects him. It's a barrier between him and the cruelty of the world. This one thing he has left of his dad. Even as the scent fades and starts to change to smell less like his dad and more like Derek himself.</p><p>Which is why it throws Derek's world on its axis when he wakes up at 30-years-old and realizes the jacket isn't here. It's gone. </p><p>Panic grips at his chest, hot and sharp as he moves around the house. It should be here. He always leaves it hanging by the door now, or thrown over his favorite chair. But it's not. He had it last night, hadn't he? </p><p>"Der?"</p><p>Derek barely registers his name being called, his mind still racing, trying to think of where he could have left it. A hand grips his arm and he finally turns, looking at Stiles. </p><p>"Have you seen my leather jacket?"</p><p>Stiles' eyes scan the room, "No. I don't see it anywhere. But it's June, man. Surely you don't…"</p><p>"No!" Derek says, breaking out of Stiles grip. He moves into the kitchen, remembering that had been the first place he'd gone when he got home last night. </p><p>"Derek…"</p><p>"I need my jacket," Derek mutters. </p><p>"We can always get you another one," Stiles says carefully.</p><p>"No I can't! Because it's not just a jacket!" Derek shouts. He can feel tears stinging at his eyes both in frustration and grief. It's like his heart has been cut open and his long buried feelings are spilling out. He sits on the couch, his whole body feeling heavy, weighed down by the loss. Another way he's let his father down. "I can't replace it, Stiles."</p><p>"It's important to you," Stiles says. He hovers by the couch for a moment, before sitting next to him, closer than he normally would. "It belonged to someone, didn't it?"</p><p>Derek nods, "My Dad. Here let me borrow it the night of the fire. I'd always asked him if I could but he never let me, until that night. It was always too big. But I felt cool. Tough. It's the last thing I have of his and now it's…"</p><p>"We'll find it," Stiles tells him. He rests his hand on Derek's knee and gives him a small smile. "I'll find it. I promise."</p><p>"You don't make promises often," Derek says. </p><p>"Not unless I know I can keep them. And I'm going to keep this one."</p><p>"How? We don't even know where it could be."</p><p>"We'll retrace your steps last night," Stiles tells him. </p><p>"Okay," Derek says, already feeling a little calmer. Stiles always has that effect on him though. He knows if anyone can help him find his missing jacket, it's Stiles and his determination. </p><p>"Right, so let's start in your car…"</p><p>They spend what feels like hours looking, first in his car, then Stiles' jeep just to be safe. They go to the diner where they had dinner, and the movie theater. They even walk a familiar path in the park. </p><p>"I don't know where else it could be," Derek sighs, running a hand down his face. </p><p>"Where else were you yesterday?" Stiles asks him. </p><p>Derek is about to tell him nowhere. They'd already covered all the places Derek went. Except one. "Your apartment."</p><p>Stiles' eyes widen, "Oh my God. You picked me up and drove me home last night!"</p><p>"And came in to try that cheesecake you wouldn't shut up about," Derek adds. </p><p>"It was worth it though," Stiles grins. </p><p>"It was."</p><p>Derek doesn't admit that he'd stay more for the company and less for the cheesecake. "Should we…?"</p><p>"Oh! Yeah! Let's try my place," Stiles says, starting the jeep back up. "It has to be there."</p><p>"I hope so," Derek says softly. </p><p>Stiles hears him, of course. He squeezes Derek's hand briefly before putting it back on the steering wheel. The touch still lingers, as it often does.</p><p>Derek follows Stiles up the stairs to his apartment on the second floor, too impatient to wait for the elevator. He's nervous as he waits for Stiles to unlock the door. If the jacket isn't here, he doesn't know what he's going to do. </p><p>Luckily he doesn't have to worry about it. He spots the jacket on the back of the couch, where he'd left it last night. </p><p>Stiles grins and picks it up. "Here it is."</p><p>Derek doesn't know what it is, but something about seeing the jacket in Stiles' hands settles something within him. He knows it's safe there, just like he knows he's always going to be safe with Stiles.</p><p>Derek takes it from him, running his fingers over the worn leather. "Do you…"</p><p>"What?" Stiles asks, when Derek trails off. </p><p>Nerves are flooding through Derek, but for a completely different reason. He knows there's a risk in what he's about to do, but he trusts Stiles. Completely. He's always going to be worth the risk. </p><p>Derek takes a deep breath and steels himself. He can do this. "Do you ever notice how most of the things we do are things couples do?"</p><p>He chances a glance up at Stiles to see him biting back a smile. "What?"</p><p>"I've noticed, Der," Stiles says. He steps closer and rests his hands over Derek's where he's still holding the jacket. "I was hoping that's where we were heading."</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"Yeah." Stiles nods, the smile finally breaking across his face. What Derek wouldn't give to have him always smiling like that. </p><p>"So what now?"</p><p>"Well now, I can take you out to dinner tonight."</p><p>"We do that all the time," Derek reminds him. </p><p>Stiles' smile grows and he leans him closer, his breath ghosting across Derek's lips and making him shiver. "Some things will be different."</p><p>"Like what?"</p><p>"Well for one, I want to hold your hand." He emphasizes his words by squeezing Derek's hands. "And if you don't mind, I'd really like to kiss you."</p><p>Derek smiles, "Now or on our date?"</p><p>"Hmm I'm thinking always and forever."</p><p>Derek laughs and uses the jacket to pull Stiles in. "Why not start now?"</p><p>"Gladly."</p><p>Stiles kisses him, his lips moving in a soft caress against Derek's, almost mirroring the way his fringes are brushing across his skin. </p><p>That night, Derek gives Stiles his jacket to wear as they walk the park. Even now, with Stiles being far from the skinny boy he used to be, it's still loose on his shoulders. He looks right in it though, as if he's at home there. When Derek mentions it, Stiles just smiles and tucks himself closer. "I'm at home with you."</p><p>"Me too," Derek says. He presses a kiss to Stiles' head and inhales deeply, taking in the scent of Stiles, mixed in with Derek's own scent and the smell of leather. </p><p>Derek's jacket had never been lost. It had been exactly where it should be, helping to lead Derek here, to this moment. Where he belongs. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! Kudos/comments make my day 💜<br/>You can find me <a href="http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/">here on tumblr</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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